"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He
who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges
and makes war. . . . And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KINGOF KINGSAND
LORDOF LORDS"
(Revelation
19:11, 16, NKJV).

Key
Thought:

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will come again in glory to gather
the redeemed of all ages into His eternal kingdom. All those who have received
Him as Savior and Lord will welcome Him with joy when He returns to this
earth.

Of all the promises that Jesus,
our Savior and Lord, has given us, the greatest promise is that He will return
and take us from this sin-sick world. We have this hope, the hope in the
coming of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, as our Savior, reconciled
earth to heaven and thus paved the way for the great and glorious day of
His return whenas KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDSHe will bring
that reconciliation to its eternal consummation.

This is the great hope of all whose acknowledgment of Christ as Lord has
been made manifest in their lives; in contrast, for those whoregardless
of what they confesshave rejected Jesus as Lord of their lives, the
Second Coming will be a sad and fearful event.

Why not, right now, make that complete surrender to the One who, at Calvary,
surrendered all for us?

Those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are a people of hope.
With joyful expectation we are "looking for the blessed hope and glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ"
(Titus
2:13, NKJV). Our hope concerning the return of our Lord Jesus Christ
is not wishful thinking. It is based upon the faithfulness of our Lord to
honor His promises.

What
promise did Jesus Christ give to His followers concerning
His return to this earth?John
14:1-3.

We trust in this promise of Jesus: " 'I will come again.' " This phrase might
literally be translated "I am coming again." The verb to come is in the present
tense. We call this a "futuristic present," which emphasizes the certainty
of that which is being described. In this promise, Jesus Christ assures us
His return is as certain as if it were already taking place!

What
promise of two heavenly messengers confirmed the promise
of Jesus regarding His return?Acts
1:9-11.

Seventh-day Adventist Christians have long cherished the blessed hope of
the glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our name, Adventist,
reminds us that Jesus Christ, who came once as a baby in Bethlehem's manger,
will come again as King of kings and Lord of lords. Even though our pioneers
expected His return long before now, the promise is still sure. "The Lord
is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come"
(2
Pet. 3:9, 10, NKJV). The apostle Paul affirms the certainty of our
hope in these words: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven"
(1
Thess. 4:16, NKJV). The second coming of Jesus is not wishful thinking.
It is our certain hope.

Feeling discouraged, worried, fearful? Prayerfully, read again
John
14:1-3 and place yourself, your name, in each spot where it's appropriate
Realize that in a very real sense, Jesus is talking to you, that those Words
are for you What hope do you draw from this precious, and intimate, promise
of Jesus-to you, personally?

MONDAY

September 19

The Nature of Christ's Return

Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us not only to be certain of His return but also
to understand the nature of His return. We have already discovered from
yesterday's study that His coming will be literal. Jesus declared," 'I will
come again.' "We must reject any interpretation that would attempt to
spiritualize Christ's second coming as His coming into our hearts. While
it is true that Christ can dwell in our hearts through faith (see
Eph.
3:17), this dwelling in our hearts by the Holy Spirit does not replace
His literal return in glory.

The second coming of Jesus will not be secret. It will be dramatic, visible,
and audible. These words of Jesus also imply that a resurrection of the dead
will occur at the time of His coming. Listen to another promise of Jesus:
" 'And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son
and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at
the last day'"
(John
6:40, NKJV).

Read
Paul's descriptions of the nature of Christ's second
coming
(1
Thess. 4:16, 17). Why would that be something hard for an imposter
to fake? Why, too, with such clear biblical testimony regarding the nature
of Christ's return, have so many people been fooled by false christs in the
past?

The apostle Paul reinforces the teaching of Jesus regarding the nature of
His return. The second coming of Jesus Christ is personal: The Lord
Himself will descend from heaven. It is dramatic: The Lord will shout and
the trumpet will sound. There will be a resurrection: The dead in Christ
will rise first. Finally, all the redeemed will be gathered up to meet the
Lord in the air.

Using your imagination, depict in writing what it will be like when
Jesus returns. Share it with your class.

TUESDAY

September 20

The Timing of Christ's Return

Almost two thousand years ago, in His last recorded comment in the book of
Revelation, our risen Lord declared, " 'Surely I am coming quickly"
(Rev.
22:20, NKJV). Christians have wrestled with that declaration ever
since. From our perspective, it doesn't seem as though He is coming quickly.
We realize, of course, that the Lord is not locked in time as we mere mortals
are. The apostle Peter reminds us that "with the Lord one day is as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day"
(2
Pet. 3:8, NKJV).

Dwell
upon what Peter wrote regarding the Lord and time. What
mistake should these words protect us from making?

In terms of eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming quickly. And yet, many
times we find ourselves crying out with the souls under the altar," 'How
long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those
who dwell on the earth?'"
(Rev.
6:10, NKJV).

Read
the parable Jesus tells in
Matthew
24:45-51. In your own words, write out what you believe is the basic
message Jesus is giving us here. Why is this parable so relevant for us as
Adventists?

There's been a long-running debate in the church about the question of a
delay. Is there one? If so, why? If not, then why hasn't Christ returned?
And though we probably won't get all these questions resolved this side of
eternity, the crucial thing for us is to be ready always, regardless of when
He comes.

If someone were to ask you, What does it mean to be ready for Jesus'
return, how would you respond? If Christ returned today, would you be ready?
Justify your answer.

WEDNESDAY

September 21

The Impact of Christ's Return

The glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will impact those
living on the earth in one of two ways. For those who have refused to receive
Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, it will be a time of terror. Even
for many professed followers of Christ, those who never let Him be Lord of
their lives, it will [be] a time of fearful judgment.

Read
carefully the following texts in light of this whole
quarter's lesson: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which
is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity"
(Matt.
7:21-23). How do these verses capture the essence of what it means
to profess Jesus as Lord but not allow Him to be Lord? What is the crucial
difference between the two?

Our Savior is very clear: We can't separate a profession of faith in Him
from a life of obedience to Him. Notice how Jesus here links obedience with
actually being in a saving relationship with Him; He says He "never knew"
those whothough professing Him as Lord, and even doing deeds in His
nameweren't obedient to the will of God. This has to be one of the
strongest statements Jesus ever made about the futility of calling oneself
a Christian while not living like one, and living like one demands that we
do the will of the Father in heaven. Otherwise, our faith is made out of
nothing but sand.

Read
the parable that comes right after Christ's words here
(Matt.
7:24-29). How does this fit in exactly with what Jesus said in
verses
21-23?

THURSDAY

September 22

The Cosmic Confession

For Christians, their profession that Jesus is Lord is matched by a life
of faithful obedience, not an obedience that saves (it can't), but an obedience
that expresses a true faith in God.

"At His first coming, Christ was denied and rejected by men, and by them
dragged as a criminal to Pilate's bar, where they charged Him with blasphemy.
He was scourged and crucified. Nails were driven through His hands and His
feet. . . . At His second coming, the scene will be changed. He will be
acknowledged by all as the King of glory. At the name of Jesus every knee
shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father. The angels will bow in adoration before Him. His
enemies will see the mistake they have made, and every tongue will confess
His divinity."Ellen G. White,
Signs of the Times, April
19, 1905.

However, for the wicked, this will not be a saving confession but simply
a recognition of that which is undeniably true. There is no change of heart.
No repentance. In fact, according to
Revelation
20:7-9, they continue their rebellion against the Lord.

In contrast, there are those whothough sinners, though imperfect, though
in and of themselves possessing no righteousnesshave, nevertheless,
committed their souls to the Lord Jesus by surrendering their will to Him.
These people will proclaim Jesus as their Lord, and their lives will reflect
that proclamation. Our praise of the Lord in heaven will simply be our picking
up where we left off praising Him here. If we love and serve Jesus even amid
the toil, pain, sin, and corruption on earth now, then how much more so in
the new heaven and a new earth? Our service to Jesus as Lord there will just
be the continuation of our service to Him here but without the cumbrousness
of sin, disease, ignorance, and the devil. That's the victory Jesus won for
us. We can, by trusting and living by faith with Jesus as Lord, start enjoying
the fruits of that victory, even now.

FRIDAY

September 23

Further
Study:

Read the
last
four chapters in the book of Revelation. Take time to meditate on this
beautiful scene of the new earth:

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and
on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits,
each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the
throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve
Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. And
there shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for
the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever"
(Rev.
22:1-5, NKJV).

What a blessed hope is ours. Soon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will return
as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will create a new heaven and a new
earth, and we will reign with Him forever and ever. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Discussion
Questions:

As a class, compare notes from what you wrote in Monday's study
about what it will be like when Christ returns.

What
do you say to someone who, when the subject of Christ's return is brought
up, says, "Look, ever since I was a kid, I was told that Christ was coming
soon. That was so many years ago. Please, don't bother me with this talk
of His 'soon' return."?

If
you read the selection above in Revelation, talk as a class about what you
think life will be like in the new earth. What will the major difference
be between life there and life here now?

As
a class, talk about the difference between merely believing in Jesus as Lord
and experiencing that lordship in your life.

I
N S I D E
Story

Two Answered Prayers

Dorothy Eaton Watts

Jaggaya worked in a railway station in eastern India. One day the wind stirred
up stray papers lying around the station. One paper landed near Jaggaya.
He picked it up and read it. It told the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000
with five loaves and two fish. Now that is amazing, Jaggaya thought. This
Jesus must be a very great God to do this. I must learn more about Him.

Jaggaya asked a Protestant pastor in his village to tell him more about Jesus.
Soon Jaggaya was attending church and reading his Bible. Always his prayer
was that Jesus would teach him more. Then one day a stranger walked into
Jaggaya's village.

Paul Reddy prayed as he neared the village, "Lord, lead me to some soul longing
to know more about You." As he walked down the street, he noticed an old
man reading a Bible. "Hello, Brother," Paul greeted the man. "I see you are
reading God's Word. I am a Christian too." The two men talked for a while,
then Paul asked him, "Do you know about the Bible Sabbath?"

"No," said Jaggaya. "I have read the Bible a lot, but I do not know anything
about a Sabbath. Will you explain it to me?" Paul Reddy opened his Bible
and began seven days of intense Bible study with Jaggaya. They studied many
doctrines of the Bible. Over and over Jaggaya exclaimed, "This is wonderful!
I never knew that before!" At the end of the Bible studies, Jaggaya asked
Paul Reddy to rebaptize him, symbolizing his acceptance of the new Bible
truths he had accepted.

"I will bring a minister to baptize you," Paul promised. But it took several
weeks before Paul could return with a pastor. In the meantime, Jaggaya faithfully
followed what he had learned from Paul Reddy and the Bible.

Jaggaya is 80 years old, but he walks the streets of his village sharing
his newfound faith with others. He is studying the Bible with 20 people he
has found. They are preparing to be baptized into the Adventist church.

The work in Orissa State in eastern India is exploding. In 1997 after 70
years of Adventist work, the church had 102 congregations in Orissa and

3,100 believers. Today there are more than 350 congregations and more than
30,000 believers. Pray that God will open the way to build more than 300
churches needed by new congregations in Orissa. Pray too that our new members
will remain faithful to God in spite of great difficulties.